Apparatus for handling block-like articles

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for handling blocklike articles having first and second conveyor means, means controlled by the first conveyor means for causing parts to be delivered by the second conveyor means to the first conveyor means at spaced intervals so that the parts are advanced onto and carried on the first conveyor means at spaced intervals with at least certain of the parts on the second conveyor means being disposed one immediately behind the other in the direction of advance of the second conveyor means.

United States Patent (Cursory). 153; 198/34, 40, 76, 102; 53/59 [72] Inventors Alfred E. Comstock [56} References Cited Frontenac UNITED STATES PATENTS BUM Oakland 2,632,551 3/1953 Kottmann l46/l53X [211 2 951 574 9/1960 Craig 198/30 [22] Filed Nov. 29, 1968 3,075,630 1/1963 Flsk 198/76 3 155 221 11/1964 Griner l98/76X I 1964, Patent Na l 133,278.

[45] Patented Jan. 5, 1971 1 Primary Examiner-Willie G. Abercrombie 3 Assignee S f st I ted Attorney-Flehr, Hohbach, Test Albritton & Herbert Oakland, Calif. a corporation of Maryland ABSTRACT: Apparatus for handling blocklike articles having [54] 5 FOR HANDLING BLOCK-LIKE first and second conveyor means, means controlled by the first 16 Cl i 48 D conveyor means for causing parts to be delivered by the rawmg second conveyor means to the first conveyor means at spaced [52] US. Cl 146/78, mtervals so that the parts are advanced onto and carried on 1 53/59, 198/34 the first conveyor means at spaced intervals with at least cer- [5] Int. Cl .1 826d 7/06 tain of the parts on the second conveyor means being disposed [50] Field of Search 146/78 one immediately behind the other in the direction of advance of the second conveyor means.

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1. In apparatus for cutting and handling articles for use with a packaging machine of the type having a conveyor for receiving parts which are spaced apart, first conveyor means for delivering parts to the conveyor of the packaging machine, control means operated by the packaging machine for actuating the first conveyor means to cause the parts to be delivered to the conveyor of the packaging machine at the required times, second conveyor means for receiving parts and for delivering parts to the first conveyor means, means controlled by the first conveyor means for causing parts to be delivered from the second conveyor means to the first conveyor means at spaced intervals of time so that at least certain of the parts are carried on the first conveyor means at spaced apart positions in a direction longitudinal of the first conveyor means, and means for cutting the articles into separate parts and delivering a plurality of juxtaposed parts to the second conveyor means at least some of which are one behind the other in the direction of advance of the second conveyor means.
 2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first conveyor means includes a plurality of conveyor belts, means for supporting the conveyor belts, means for pivotally mounting one end of the supporting means for each conveyor belt, and means for shifting the other end of the supporting means for each conveyor belt to adjust the width of said first conveyor means so that the first conveyor means is adapted to carry additional parts for delivery to the wrapping machine.
 3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said first conveyor means includes drive means adjustable to drive the conveyor belts at two different speeds, and means connected to said means for shifting the other end of the supporting means for each conveyor belt for adjusting the speed of the conveyor belts in accordance with the number of parts carried abreast on the first conveyor means.
 4. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first conveyor means advances at a speed more rapid than the second conveyor means to thereby cause separation between the parts as the parts are advanced from the second conveyor means to the first conveyor means together with means actuated by operation of said first conveyor means to actuate said second conveyor means to cause the leading juxtaposed part on the second conveyor means to be advanced onto the first conveyor means, and means for sensing the leading edge of a succeeding part for stopping the second conveyor means when the succeeding part has been advanced to a predetermined line by the second conveyor means.
 5. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means for advancing and cutting articles into separate parts and delivering the same to the second conveyor means consists of means for cutting the articles into a plurality of separate parts, and means for causing relative movement between the cutting means and the article to be cut to cause the article to be cut into separate parts.
 6. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said means for cutting the articles into parts and advancing the same onto the second conveyor means includes first cutting means having a plurality of spaced parallel cutting elements disposed in horizontal planes, means for causing relative movement between the cutting means and the article to be cut to cause the article to be cut into separate superposed slices, means for removing the slices one at a time, and means for cutting the slices into parts having predetermined configurations.
 7. Apparatus as in claim 6 together with additional cutting means having a plurality of cutting elements disposed in spaced parallel vertical planes and wherein said means for advancing the slices one by one includes means for caUsing relative movement between the slices and the second cutting means to cause the slices to be cut into a plurality of separate parts.
 8. Apparatus as in claim 7 together with supplemental cutting means having at least one cutting element disposed in a vertical plane, and means for causing relative movement between the supplemental cutting means and the slice which has been cut into parts to cause the parts to be cut into additional smaller parts.
 9. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said means for cutting said slices into parts having a predetermined configuration includes a plurality of dies, means for causing relative movement between the slice and the dies so that the parts are cut from the slices and for causing the parts to be ejected from the dies.
 10. Apparatus as in claim 7 together with means for measuring one dimension of the article, and means controlled by the dimension measuring means for adjusting the spacing between the cutting elements of the first cutting means in accordance with the dimension measured.
 11. Apparatus as in claim 10 together with additional means for measuring one dimension of the slice, and means controlled by the additional dimension measuring means for adjusting the spacing of the cutting elements of said second cutting means in accordance with the dimension measured.
 12. Apparatus as in claim 1 together with control means controlled by the wrapping machine for controlling the cutting of the articles.
 13. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said means for supporting the conveyor belts includes channel-shaped members having surfaces extending above the top surfaces of the conveyor belt and wherein each of said conveyor belts includes lugs extending above the surfaces of the channel-shaped members and adapted to engage the parts, said channel members serving to raise the parts above the top surface of the conveyor belt and permitting the lugs to move into engagement with the trailing edges of the parts to cause the parts to be advanced in a precision manner into the wrapping machine.
 14. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said first conveyor means includes means for driving the first conveyor means, together with means actuated by operation of said first conveyor means to actuate said second conveyor means to cause said second conveyor means to advance at a speed less rapid than the speed of said first conveyor means and to cause the leading juxtaposed part on the second conveyor means to be advanced onto the first conveyor means so that when the part is received by the second conveyor means the part is advanced more rapidly than the succeeding part to provide a space between said first named part and the succeeding part, and means for sensing the leading edge of a succeeding part after the preceding part has been separated from the succeeding part for stopping the second conveyor means when the succeeding part has been advanced to a predetermined line by the second conveyor means.
 15. Apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said means for sensing the leading edge of a succeeding part includes means for transmitting energy along a predetermined line on one side of the path traveled by the juxtaposed parts, means disposed on the predetermined line on the other side of the path of the juxtaposed parts for sensing energy, and means controlled by the sensing means for stopping the advance of said second conveyor, and wherein said means for actuating the operation of the second conveyor means includes means for overcoming the means for stopping said first conveyor means.
 16. Apparatus as in claim 1 together with means for arresting the travel of additional parts from the second conveyor means to the first conveyor means when a predetermined number of parts have been delivered to the first conveyor means during an interval of time. 